title: Investigation of blood lipid levels and statin interventions in outpatients with coronary heart disease in China: the China Cholesterol Education Program (CCEP).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the China Cholesterol Education Program is to investigate the blood lipid levels, the statin intervention and the rates of achieving the goal of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) level in Chinese outpatients with coronary heart disease (CHD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The multicenter study recruited 4,778 outpatients with CHD. The mean level of LDL-C for the total outpatients was 2.93+/-1.00 mmol/L; 82.2% of the participants received statin therapy. The LDL-C levels were 3.06+/-1.08 mmol/L and 2.89+/-0.97 mmol/L in outpatients with high risk and very high risk, respectively (p<0.001). No significant difference was found about the rates of statin intervention in outpatients at high risk and very high risk (81.4% vs 82.5%, p>0.05). Though they had higher rates of statin intervention, only 36.2% of the high-risk outpatients achieved the target LDL-C level (<2.6 mmol/L); 10.9% of the very high risk outpatients achieved the optimal LDL-C level (<1.82 mmol/L) suggested by NCEP ATP III. The rate of achieving the target level was only 42.2%, even though LDL-C <2.6mmol/L was the goal for patients at very high risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the outpatients received a higher rate of statin therapy, the rates of achieving the target cholesterol level were lower. There is a significant gap between the guidelines and clinical practice in China.
authors.affiliation: Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Center of Tongji University, Shanghai, China. leetriumph@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Dayi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiankai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors